Water district approves conservation lands plan

Tuesday

Dec 11, 2012 at 5:56 PM

DINAH VOYLES PULVERENVIRONMENT WRITER

PALATKA — The St. Johns River Water Management District unanimously approved a plan Tuesday that could eventually mean the donation and sale of more than 35,000 acres of the 600,000 acres it owns. The vote ends a yearlong assessment to evaluate the district's land, acquired over the past 30 years, to determine if there were any properties no longer needed for conservation or properties that should be converted to a "better use." The evaluation began after directives from state officials. Board member Maryam Ghyabi, Ormond Beach, called the process "amazingly transparent and science-based." Ghyabi gave credit to Robert Christianson, director of the district's operations and land resources division, for his communication and collaborative efforts with the public and local governments. Christianson and his staff conducted dozens of meetings with officials and the public, including four meetings over the summer attended by a total of 286 people. After the draft plan was published, the district conducted six additional meetings, attracting 124 participants. Each step of the approved plan will return to the board for individual votes as the plan moves forward, district officials said Tuesday. "Today is not an authorization to sell anything," Christianson said. "It's a plan to move forward and see if we can work out the details on these strategies." The plan includes provisions that could result in the sale of more than 10,000 acres of land, with or without conservation easements. However, after hearing concerns voiced by dozens of members of the public about how selling the land — especially a piece on the north shore of Lake Apopka — could eventually conflict with the management goals for nearby district-owned land, board members agreed to amend the plan. They added a caveat stating the intent of any future buyers should not conflict with conservation purposes on those district lands. Christianson said the action would "significantly up the trust level" in the district's process. Overall, the district decided to retain ownership of 569,734 acres, about 92 percent of the land it owns. The plan calls for the district to donate 25,091 acres to local governments – including Volusia and Flagler counties – while retaining a conservation easement on the land. In Volusia, the district plans to donate 18,045 acres to the county and 23 acres to the city of Port Orange. In Flagler, the plan calls for the donation of 4,686 acres to the county. The district would retain conservation easements on the land to protect its long-term conservation value. District-wide, an estimated 6,619 acres would be sold with the district retaining conservation easements. Another 3,591 acres could be sold without conservation easements because it is no longer needed for conservation or for the original purpose it was acquired. In total, the sales could produce an estimated $16.4 million, district officials said. By Florida law, any profits realized from the sale of the land must be reinvested in buying conservation lands. In Flagler, the district proposes selling 584 acres, retaining conservation easements. In Volusia, the plan calls for selling 3,593 acres with the conservation easements but selling or exchanging 131 acres outright. District-wide, the plan also allows for the conversion of 13,388 acres of land to alternative uses such as forestry or peat removal.